"I want to take this opportunity to give you some advice," the president said at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy commencement ceremony in Connecticut. "Over the course of your life, things are not always fair, things happen to you you don't deserve. You have to put your head down and fight, fight, fight — never ever give up."

It's the first time the president has spoken since explosive news broke that the president pressured the FBI to stop investigating a former aide. He went on to spin it as a tale of his own perseverance.

"Look at the way I've been treated lately, especially by the media, no politician in history has been treated worse or more unfairly, you can't let them get you down. You can't let them get in the way of your dreams," the president said. "I guess that's why we won."

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The Washington Post is out with a report that a month before Trump secured the Republican nomination, a House leader joked with colleagues that Putin "pays" Trump.

“There’s two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump,” House Majority Leader and California Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy reportedly said in mid-June 2016, referring to the leading presidential candidate and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a Californian Republican known for defending Russia.

Some lawmakers present laughed, to which McCarthy said: “swear to God.” House Speaker Paul Ryan told lawmakers to keep the exchange between them.

“No leaks," he said. "This is how we know we’re a real family here.”

A Ryan spokesman initially told the Post the exchange "never happened." When told there was a recording, the spokesman Brendan Buck said it was "clearly an attempt at humor."

In a statement provided to NBC News, Buck said, "No one believed the majority leader was seriously asserting that Donald Trump or any of our members were being paid by the Russians. What’s more, the speaker and leadership team have repeatedly spoken out against Russia’s interference in our election, and the House continues to investigate that activity.”

If you were waiting for an infelicitous comment caught on a hot mic to make this latest Trump firestorm complete, worry not.

During the Coast Guard commencement ceremony Wednesday, Department of Homeland Security Sec. John F. Kelly joked that Trump should use the ceremonial saber he was holding on the media. The moment was first noticed by CNN producers, and confirmed by NBC News.

There's been a fair amount of elected officials talking impeachment today — Democratic Rep. Al Green called for the president's impeachment from the House floor, while Independent Sen. Angus King and centrist Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo both suggested it was possible in interviews — but it's the talk that comes from within Trump's own party and Congressional majority that matters.

Following an explosive report that the president pressured former FBI Director James Comey to stop investigating a former aide, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence sent letters calling for former FBI director James Comey to testify.

They also penned a letter to Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe requesting that they preserve any materials prepared by the former Director regarding communications he had with senior White House and Department of Justice officials related to investigations into Russia’s efforts.

The Senate Judiciary Committee requested similar materials Wednesday from both the FBI and the White House "including any audio recordings," according to the a press release.

These requests join similar requests from the House Oversight Committee, who demanded that the FBI turn over all documents that it has about communications between the president and Comey on Tuesday night. House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz of Utah told NBC News that he'd subpoena it if necessary.

"I want to take this opportunity to give you some advice," the president said at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy commencement ceremony in Connecticut. "Over the course of your life, things are not always fair, things happen to you you don't deserve. You have to put your head down and fight, fight, fight — never ever give up."

It's the first time the president has spoken since explosive news broke that the president pressured the FBI to stop investigating a former aide. He went on to spin it as a tale of his own perseverance.

"Look at the way I've been treated lately, especially by the media, no politician in history has been treated worse or more unfairly, you can't let them get you down. You can't let them get in the way of your dreams," the president said. "I guess that's why we won."